GASTON COUNTY, N.C. – Two men in their 60s said they were kidnapped from a church Monday morning.
Claude Burdette, 69, and Tony Patterson, 60, said they were kidnapped from Flint Grove Baptist Church in Gastonia.
Around 6 a.m. Monday, Mr. Burdette was opening the community center at Flint Grove Baptist Church off East Ozark Avenue. Two masked, armed men forced him outside and demanded money. Then Mr. Patterson pulled up on the attempted robbery in progress.
The men forced Mr. Patterson over to where Mr. Burdette was and again demanded money. The armed men put Mr. Burdette and Mr. Patterson into Mr. Patterson’s truck and drove toward Charlotte, they said.
The four men stopped at Wells Fargo and Fifth-Third banks in Charlotte, withdrawing $900 from Patterson’s account. Then the kidnappers left Patterson and Burdette on the interstate, tossing the truck keys onto the roadside and walking away.
Police have not yet released a description of the suspects and no arrests have been made. If you have any information in regards to this case, you’re asked to call the Gastonia Police Department at (704) 866-6880.
